Punctuation Power
Which punctuation mark is used to separate two independent clauses without a conjunction?
Semicolon
Choose the correct verb: "Neither the teacher nor the students (is/are) ready.
Are—the verb agrees with the closer subject.
Is this a fragment or a sentence? "Running through the rain to catch the bus."
Fragment
Which "there/their/they’re" fits here: "____ going to be late."
They're
Which word is more formal for a transition: "Also" or "Furthermore"?
Furthermore
Does the following sentence need a comma? "After we finished lunch we went to the park."
Yes, after "lunch"
Correct the error: "Everyone brought their own lunch."
Everyone brought his or her own lunch—"everyone" is singular.
What is a "run-on sentence"?
Two or more independent clauses joined without correct punctuation or conjunctions.
Choose the correct word: "The medicine had a strange (affect/effect) on me."
Effect—noun.
Fix the lack of parallel structure: "I like hiking, swimming, and to ride bikes."
"I like hiking, swimming, and riding bikes."
Where should the apostrophe go in this sentence: "The three students grades were all excellent."
After the 's' in students'
What is the past participle of "to swim"?
Swum
Combine these into one sentence using a subordinating conjunction: "It rained. We stayed inside."
"Since/Because it rained, we stayed inside."
"Whom" should be used when the word is the (Subject/Object) of a verb or preposition.
Object
Identify the redundant word: "The reason why he left is because he was tired.
"Why" or "The reason"—choose one.
Identify the error: "I love hiking; however I forgot my boots."
Missing comma after "however"
Correct the tense: "By the time the movie ended, we already ate all the popcorn."
Had already eaten—past perfect is needed for an action completed before another past action.
Fix the dangling modifier: "Walking down the street, the trees were beautiful."
"Walking down the street, I saw that the trees were beautiful."
Choose the correct word: "I have (less/fewer) than five dollars.
Fewer—used for countable items.
Rewrite for clarity: "The cat was chased by the dog."
"The dog chased the cat."—changing passive voice to active.
Which mark is used to introduce a list that follows a complete independent clause?
A colon
Identify the mood in: "If I were you, I would study tonight."
Subjunctive mood
Identify the structure: "Although it was cold, we went for a walk, and we had a great time."
Compound-complex sentence
What is the difference between "disinterested" and "uninterested"?
Disinterested means impartial/neutral; uninterested means bored/not interested.
In a logical argument, what is a "non-sequitur"?
A conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement.